London The Church of Scotland is planning to cull more than a third of its hymn book, to make room for more Scottish words and music. “Previously, too many of our hymns have been borrowed,” said Douglas Galbraith, a member of the committee that prepared the fourth edition of the Church Hymnary. “The new book has vastly more material from the folk and traditional strands of Scottish culture, both lowland and Gaelic.” Traditional Scottish tunes like the Skye Boat Song, Ye Banks and Braes and the Eriskay Love Lilt will accompany words by modern Scottish writers as well as by Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet.
